1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-receiving module for converting an optical signal propagating through an optical fiber into an electric signal and outputting thus obtained electric signal, a light-emitting module for converting the electric signal to an optical signal and transmitting thus obtained optical signal to the optical fiber, and an optical data link comprising these optical modules.
2. Related Background Art
As conventional data links, those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 57-91571, 57-91572, and 2-61921 have been known, for example.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 57-91571 and 57-91572, an optical device for converting an optical signal to an electric signal and an electronic circuit for processing the electric signal outputted from this optical device are transfer-molded with a transparent resin so as to form an intermediate component, which is accommodated in a housing provided with a mechanism for joining it with an optical fiber, thus constituting an optical module. Further, a predetermined assembling jig is used for placing this intermediate component at a predetermined position, and a resin opaque to the optical signal is injection-molded, thereby forming a housing which can block off external light.
The optical data link disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-61921 has a configuration in which an optical device is mounted to a base part of an optical connector made of a metal. This optical connector is provided with a joint mechanism for connecting a ferrule accommodating a tip portion of an optical fiber. When mounting the optical device to the base part, an optical signal is actually introduced in the optical fiber and, while the electric signal outputted from the optical device in response thereto is being observed, the optical axes of optical fiber and optical device are adjusted with respect to each other, such that the optical device is mounted at its optimal position where a predetermined level of electric signal is attained. Further, the metal connector mounted with the optical device and a hybrid IC board equipped with an electronic circuit for processing the electric signal are integrally molded with a resin, thereby forming an optical data link.